The bridge

The flames rose high from below, licking at the sides of the bridge that extended over the pit. Sam could feel the sweat evaporating off of him the moment it came out of his pores. He didn't know how long he could withstand the heat, but he was terrified to move forward. He tried to stuff away the thought that the fire was weakening the supports of the bridge and that the moment he set foot on it it would collapse, dragging him down with it.

He could see on the other side of the bridge the lone pedestal that contained the item he had searched for for so long. He didn't know how much time he had to try and retrieve it, and deep down he knew that he was running short on time. But he couldn't seem to make himself take the steps across the bridge to do so. He peeked over the edge and saw the lava not far below.

"Stupid magic protection," Sam mumbled to himself. "These things just can't be easy for me, can they?" He sighed and gingerly put his foot onto the first step of the bridge. Even with as little weight as he was putting on it, the bridge still creaked and groaned, and he could feel how hot it was through the sole of his shoe. He knew he would have to run across if he didn't want his shoes to burn off entirely. But running meant the pressure on the bridge would be more focused and abrupt, raising the chances of the bridge breaking.

"Come on, Sam," he said to himself, backing up to get a running start. "You can do this. Don't think. Just run." He took a few quick hops to prep himself and then shot forward at full tilt. As he crossed the bridge, he felt it sway beneath him, he heard the steps cracking, and he felt the fire licking at his feet, but he couldn't stop now. It was only a few short moments before he was across, but it felt like hours.

He slowed to a stop, only having a few steps to do so with the small size of the platform that he had been running towards on this side of the bridge. He took several deep breaths to steady himself and looked back. The bridge was still there. That was the good news. But it definitely looked visibly weaker than it had before he had run across. He prayed that it would last long enough for him to make it back.

Sam approached the pedestal. On it lay a single golden ring. Carefully he picked it up, and as he did so the pedestal crumbled away before him. Examining the ring, he could see how expertly it was crafted, and the words that were carved upon the inside of it: amabimus semper inuicem. He could swear he could feel the ring hum with an inescapable, yet subtle power. Before he had time to really examine it, however, he knew he had to go.

Quickly he pocketed the ring and turned back to the bridge. He wasn't sure if it was just his own paranoia, but he could swear the flames were reaching higher now. He made a mad dash, and upon the first step a loud crack reverberated through the area. He felt his foot giving way as the step beneath him shattered, but he reached forward with his other foot and kept moving. Each step fell away beneath him as he ran, just barely behind him, so that if he slowed down for even half a second he would drop into the lava below.

He fell hard onto his face as he reached the other side and slammed into the ground. His body hurt, but he was safe on the other side. Shaking, he got up onto his knees and pulled the ring once more from his pocket, seeing that it was undamaged.

"With this," he said to himself, "she has to say yes."